We are now updating the tax return guidance

All guidance to the tax return for the income year 2018 will be updated well in advance of receiving the tax return on 4 April 2019.

Refunds of withholding tax on share dividends

As a foreign shareholder, you have limited tax liability to Norway for share dividends you've received from Norwegian companies. As a rule, the Norwegian company must deduct 25 percent withholding tax on share dividends. The tax rate may be lower due to tax treaties or Norwegian tax regulations.

If you're entitled to a lower tax rate than the rate deducted on your dividend payment, you can claim a refund of excess payment on withholding tax. Only shareholders who are beneficial dividend recipients can claim a refund of withholding tax.

The company assesses their withholding tax by submitting a notification of withholding tax on share dividends. The company may submit a correction up to 3 months after submitting the notification of deduction, and until 31 December of the income year. This method lets the company correct errors in previously submitted notifications.

The correction deadline must have passed before applying for refund of withholding tax.

The application deadline is 5 years

The deadline for applying for a refund of withholding tax is five years. The deadline is calculated from the end of the income year when dividends were paid.

Send the application to

If you’ve received several dividends, you must include an overview of all dividends and the total amount of refund claimed per year

If you’re a corporate shareholder, you must specify in the application if you apply for a refund under a tax treaty or the exemption method

If you apply under a tax treaty:

A certificate of residence issued by the tax authorities in your country of residence confirming that you're a resident in that country under the tax treaty with Norway. The certificate of residence must be issued by a public authority and in your name. The certificate must be valid from the year when dividends were paid.

If you apply under the exemption method:

A certificate of residence or certificate of registration issued by a public authority as confirmation of the shareholder’s legal establishment within the EEA.

A statement of the form of enterprise, including an evaluation of what form of enterprise the shareholder has as set out in the Taxation Act section 2-38, subsection 1, letters a-h.

Reasons for why the shareholder should be considered as actually established within the EEA, pursuant to the Taxation Act section 2-38, subsection 5.

Receipt of dividends showing that you’ve received dividends. The receipt must be issued by a bank and contain the following:

the name of the beneficial dividend recipient

name and ISIN on the share

number of shares and gross dividend per share in NOK

pay-date, ex-date or record-date

total gross amount and deducted withholding tax in NOK (it must state that withholding tax has been deducted, not just tax)

If the dividend has gone through several transactions, the entire transaction chain must be proved.

If the shares were registered in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository (VPS), you must include the VPS account number and the name of the account holder to which the shares were registered when dividend was paid.

If the shares were registered on a nominee account (NOM-account), you must provide the account number and name of the agent holding the account

If you do not have the VPS information, contact your agent or the account operator to receive the information

Payment information:

Name of account holder

A Norwegian account number or IBAN and SWIFT/BIC code

IBAN account must accept NOK since all refunds are transferred in NOK

Payment reference of maximum 20 digits will simplify the payment

Other relevant information, including legal, organisational and tax related circumstances

The application must be signed by the beneficial dividend recipient. If a representative of the beneficial dividend recipient submits the application, a signed power of attorney must be presented.

All required documentation must be enclosed with the application. Missing information in the application results in longer processing time and the application may be rejected or dismissed. Additional information may be relevant in order to show that the requirements for reduced withholding tax have been fulfilled.

Possible basis for refund of withholding tax

Tax treatyIf you’re a tax resident in a country with which Norway has entered into a tax treaty, the withholding tax is usually 15 percent. Rates according to different tax treaties are available at regjeringen.no/kildesatser. Some tax treaties have different requirements, but most treaties require that the shareholder is a tax resident in the contracting state and a beneficial owner of dividend.

The shareholder modelIf you’re a tax resident in the EEA and a beneficial dividend recipient, the withholding tax may be reduced by deduction for risk-free return if the rate of withholding tax is higher than tax on dividends after risk-free return. Usually, it's impossible to receive a full refund of withholding tax by the shareholder model. Information stating that claims submitted according to the shareholder model always entitle you to a full refund of withholding tax is wrong. Read more about the shareholder model and deduction for risk-free return.

Please note that refunds under a tax treaty are usually more profitable than refunds under the shareholder model.

Tax treatyIf the shareholder is a tax resident in a country with which Norway has entered into a tax treaty, the withholding tax may be less than 25 percent. Rates according to different tax treaties are available at regjeringen.no/kildesatser. Some tax treaties have different requirements, but most treaties require that the shareholder is a tax resident in the contracting state and a beneficial owner of dividend.

Exemption methodSome corporate shareholders domiciled in the EEA may claim an exemption for withholding tax according to the exemption method. In order to claim a refund after the exemption method, the shareholder must be equal to one of the Norwegian taxable entities listed under the Taxation Act section 2-38, subsection 1, letters a-h. Moreover, the shareholder must actually be established and carry on real economic activity in an EEA country. The shareholder must also be a beneficial dividend recipient.

Do you want to avoid the refund process?

Foreign shareholders may not have to apply for refund of withholding tax. The correct rate of withholding tax can immediately be deducted when paying dividend if the shareholder has provided all necessary documentation.